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Wanda Sykes Opens up About Having Breast Cancer and Double Mastectomy

Wanda Sykes will appear on the Ellen Degeneres Show on Monday where she will talk for the first time about having breast cancer and deciding to have a double mastectomy.

The comedienne shares that she learned she had breast cancer after having a breast reduction surgery. Fortunately, the cancer was detected very early, but still left her with a decision to make about treatment:

“….cancer is cancer. I had the choice of, you can go back every three months and get it checked. Have a mammogram, MRI every three months just to see what it’s doing. But, I’m not good at keeping on top of stuff. I’m sure I’m overdue for an oil change and a teeth cleaning already.”

The comedienne ultimately says she decided “to have a bilateral mastectomy…. I had both breasts removed … because now I have zero chance of having breast cancer…. It sounds scary up front, but what do you want? Do you want to wait and not be as fortunate when it comes back and it’s too late?”

When asked about whether she was now going to do advocacy on the issue of breast cancer Wanda said:

“I was like, I don’t know, should I talk about it or what? How many things could I have? I’m Black, then Lesbian. I can’t be the poster child for everything….At least with the LGBT issues we get a parade, we get a float, it’s a party. [But] I was real hesitant about doing this, because I hate walking. I got a lot of [cancer] walks coming up.”

Make sure to tune in to the Ellen DeGeneres show on Monday to see this interview.

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